Sweet Escape
by Sonomi-chan
Summary: Previously titled: The Veil of the Maiden's Shyness... While Takuro is away on business, Hinagiku is left home alone with the threat of an escaped felon in her area. Hinagiku/Takuro
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own or claim any rights to the manga/anime _Wedding Peach_, nor am I affiliated with it in any way.

I've been working on this for a little while and decided to post it. I noticed that there are no Takuro/Hinagiku fics out there, which is a shame, because they are such a cute couple. This fic contains no spoilers that I know of, but what I will say is that it is set after the series ends. I hope you enjoy. Review please!

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"This man is said to be armed and dangerous. Women are advised to stay in doors and, more importantly, stay in the company of others. More details on this warning when we come back..."

"Great. They tell me there's danger in my neighborhood, then decide they're gonna go get coffee before they tell me the important stuff."

Hinagiku laid back on the couch and put the back of her hand over her eyes to block out the annoying light from the lamp on the near-by table. She was completely alone and utterly bored. It couldn't be helped, though. There was nothing she could do.

Her best friends, Momoko and Yuri, were both with their husbands in America at the moment. Because of Yousuke's and Yanagiba's complete dedication and prodigious skills in soccer, both men had been asked to attend a conference of sorts in California. There, they would be asked to play against great soccer players from all around the world in front of scouters, family, and friends, along with many spectators. Since their husbands would be gone for longer than a week—and their wives were jealous, clingy women, in Hinagiku's opinion—they insisted in coming along and cheering them on. So, that left Hinagiku and Takuro alone, which was just fine with her. Though she hadn't voiced it, she didn't think she spent enough alone time with her husband.

They had only been married for a few short months, she knew, but the fact was that the only time they saw one another longer than an hour was when they slept at night. She knew he was a busy man. Being a well- respected chemist was no joke, afterall. But there were times that she just wanted to curl up in his arms in front of the fireplace and just talk to him. She wanted to know what was on his mind, and she wanted him to know what was on hers.

As out of character as that kind of behavior is, she almost desperately needed them to have more moments like that. Unfortunately for her, the opportunity for that to happen wouldn't be for at least a few more days.

Takuro was also requested to leave the city for a conference. He was asked to do a presentation on his recent experiments having to do with a few recently discovered elements. Takuro had asked Hinagiku to come with him and attend his lecture, but after his failed attempts at explaining his research, she felt it best that she stay behind.

So, here she was, sitting on her couch, waiting for the commercial break to end so she could be told the best ways to protect herself from the escaped convict from the local prison the next town over.

And, surprisingly, she liked this situation better than sitting in a classy dining hall sitting at a table with a bunch of other chemists' wives, listening to them spout the same scientific terminology that Takuro had tried to educate her in.

Yup, the escaped rapist/murder was something she had no problem taking on.

Hinagiku sat back up when the news reporter began speaking again.

"For those of you just now tuning in, a man convicted of rape, assault and murder escaped from the local prison this afternoon around 4:40pm. He is described as a muscular individual in his mid-thirties. He has slightly graying brown hair, around five feet, nine inches in height, and is said to have scars around his neck and inner wrists.

On screen now is a picture of this man..."

"That scrawny guy!" She said as she got a good look at his severe lack of muscles and his malnourished looking face.

"I could take him on easily!"

She couldn't help but gloat about her fighting skills. Being a love angel meant that she had no choice but to stay on top of her game. She hadn't realized just how strong she was until Takuro commented on her physique.

After blushing for a little while, she noticed just how much she had toned out. After that, she made it a habit of eating healthier and exercising a little more. One could never be too careful.

"As we've said before, the killer preys upon young women and breaks into their home. Please note that he strikes and escapes most often when his victims are alone.

Women are urged to stay inside with their doors and windows securely locked. It is also urged that women be accompanied by someone at all times. That means anyone! Previous victims commented that having their children around have saved them from this predator..."

"Like a kid is really going to save me from a rapist." She commented with a huff. This news report was getting more and more dramatic for her.

"Here is an update! A past victim of this man says that he enters the house by—" The t.v cut off abruptly as Hinagiku threw the remote down.

"He gets in by going through the damn doors and windows like any other normal killer would! And here I thought this stupid channel was going to tell me something important."

She left the living room and made her way to the kitchen to make herself some tea. Though she was still pissed at the news, she was still a little sad to be left alone with a killer on the loose.

"It's at times like this when I need Takuro!" She commented as she put the water on the stove to boil. "And he isn't even here to protect me! What a lousy husband."

Just as she finished her task, the phone rang. She walked back into the living room, wondering allowed who it could be and was surprised to hear the voice on the other end.

"_Hinako."_

"Takuro?" She asked. He hadn't called her since he left for the conference.

"_Are you alright? I just saw the news about Niji Dash."_

"Niji who?"

"_Niji Dash. The escaped convict. Are you alright?"_

"Oh yeah, I was just watching the news. I'm fine, Takuro. You worry too much."

She said with a blush and a smile on her face. His constant worrying always made her feel so loved by him.

"_Hinako, please be careful. I worry because I love you and I don't want anything to happen to you."_

There was a pause in speaking before he said,

"_I'm on my way home right now."_

"What? Takuro, that's just ridiculous! I am a Love Angel! I've tackled creatures way worst than this guy! You don't need to come back!"

"_There was an update in the news report. Niji is said to be very close to our neighborhood!"_

"Good! Let him come! I guarantee I can put his sorry butt back in prison, no problem!"

She said this with false confidence. Normally, she would have had no problem with a guy like Niji, but now she wasn't so sure. No one escaped from the prison he was held in. If he had the skill to accomplish that, then she really did have an idea what he was capable of.

"_Hinako, please don't argue with me on this! Do not try to take this guy on! He's dangerous!"_

"Just trust me, Takuro." She replied calmly.

"I bet you this whole thing will be over in a few hours. They'll catch the guy before I can get a shot at him and have him back in prison before I finish my tea, which is almost ready, by the way. Just stay and finish your presentation. I'll be here when you get back, safe and sound."

Takuro sighed on the other line. There was no sense in arguing.

"_Alright, I won't come back. But in return you'd better call me all the time! And you can't leave the house under any circumstance."_

"Gotcha!"

"_I mean it, Hinagiku."_

"I said I won't do it. Stop worrying, Takuro. I'll be alright. Now, go back to what you were doing so I can drink my tea."

"_Okay. Call me before you shower and before you go to bed. And first thing in the morning, okay?"_

Hinagiku rolled her eyes before telling him she would do everything he asked.

"_I love you, Hinako. Please be safe."_

"I love you too, Takuro. I'll call you in a little while."

She hung up the phone and gave a sigh of relief and sorrow. She just made a stupid decision. She was starting to be really conscious of the fact that she was a young woman, alone in her house, without her husband for three more days.

She wanted desperately to tell him that she wanted him there with her. He might be a scrawny chemist, but he was the most reassuring person in the world to her. If he said something would be alright, then she knew, without a doubt, that it would.

But he sounded incredibly nervous on the phone. It was unsettling to her because she could tell the difference between paranoia and fear, and what he displayed was genuine fear for her safety. The fact that she was a love angel didn't even seem to ease his fear in any way.

"I'm just being paranoid." She said with a laugh. That was the only reassurance she could give herself at the moment. She was just going to drink her tea, shower and then go to sleep and hope the guy was caught before she woke up the next morning.


	2. Chapter 2

Enjoy! Please Review and tell me what you think!

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Takuro hung up the phone with an uneasy feeling in his stomach. The news report hung over his head like a dark storm cloud and he couldn't help but replay some of what the reporter said in his head.

'_Here is an update! A past victim of this man says that he enters the house by cutting the power off and entering through a window either in a bathroom or basement. Past victims have also commented that his entrance is almost completely silent; meaning you would have to listen for it in order to catch it. He then hides in the darkest corner of the room and waits for his chance to strike...'_

Takuro shook his head and a determined look came across his face. He would not let anyone touch his Hinako. No matter how tough she was, he still did not think she could take on someone like him. Love angel or not, this guy was a rapist; a threat to all women. And any threat to Hinako was a threat to him. With that mind set, he turned his cell on high volume and re-entered the conference room. Presentation or not, she was more important to him than any scientific breakthrough could ever be.

...

"Ah, that was refreshing!"

Hinagiku stretched out on her and Takuro's queen size bed. She'd had her tea and then called Takuro, as he'd requested. After much pleading, he told her she didn't have to call any more that day and said he wouldn't call her again until the next day. Afterward, she took a long, hot shower and dressed in her favorite pair of flannel yellow pajama's and all but jumped into bed.

This wasn't Takuro's first trip away from home since their marriage, but she still couldn't get used to him not being next to her when she fell asleep every night. She supposed she would have to get used to it eventually, though.

With that mentality, she got up and walked downstairs to inspect the house and to make sure all of the doors and windows were locked. She had already done this, but Takuro had made her promise to check once more before she went to sleep. She walked to the front door and looked out the peep hole before looking out of the two windows on each side of the door. Seeing nothing suspicious, she made sure those entrances were securely locked before moving on to the patio entrance near the sitting room. After looking out that window and checking the lock, she moved to the window in the living room, basement, guest bedroom and Takuro's office before deeming the house completely locked.

She walked back to the bedroom and checked the balcony doors there before nodding her head in satisfaction and getting into bed. She turned off the lamp on the bedside table before turning over and closing her eyes, letting sleep claim her.

...

Hinagiku's eyes snapped open abruptly.

It had been faint, but she definitely heard a noise coming from downstairs. She frantically glanced at Takuro's bedside table to see that the time read 2:24am.

She was very frightened now. She had no idea what to do. All of her confidence as a strong woman—as a Love Angel—was gone as she lay in that bed, straining her ears for a hint of a sound that confirmed the fact that she was no longer the only person in the house anymore. She thought about transforming, but quickly dismissed the idea when she thought of the consequences. Even whispering the words that allowed her to transform would be loud against the silence of the house.

But she couldn't just sit there and wait for Niji to just come on up and have his way. She had to think of something.

Her breath hitched as she heard another sound, this time coming from outside her bedroom door. Hinagiku felt a stray tear make its way down her face and immediately wiped it away with her hand.

Alright. If the guy was in her house, then she was going to fight, no matter what. She was not going to let this guy do whatever he wanted to her without seriously injuring him first. Making up her mind, she jumped out of bed and landed gracefully in front of the foot of her bed.

She looked around the room and began to strategize. Her bedroom had three entrances: The balcony, the main door, and the bathroom that had an entrance from her room and the hallway. The bathroom would be the smartest choice of action, considering the bathroom entrance was a foot or two away from her walk-in closet, which was slightly ajar.

The good thing about this is that the moonlight coming in from the balcony somewhat illuminates that part of the room, making it so she would be able to make out whoever was there. Her best plan of action would be to position herself on Takuro's side of the bed on the floor in from of his night stand. It was the darkest corner of the room and the closest side to the main door, giving her easy access out of the room and plenty of time to run out the front door. Another sound coming from the bathroom entrance confirmed her beliefs and she got into her position, cellphone in her pocket and a shoe that she forgot to put back in her hands.

There was a long stretch of silence in which Hinagiku just crouched and stared at the bathroom door, secretly willing it to open just to stop the swelling anxiety, but also willing it to stay closed and this be a figment of her imagination. Just when she was starting to consider the latter, the door creaked open and she screamed as she lunged forward and began to run. She stopped in her tracks as she heard a familiar scream and saw the lights flick on.

"Hinako! Where is he?"

Takuro frantically looked around the room, searching for the cause of his wife's distress. In his hand was one of the spare pipe's they kept underneath the sink.

Hinagiku just stood in place, relief and disbelief spreading across her face. Relief seemed to have won, because before either of them knew it, Hinagiku launched herself into his arms and held him as tight as her small form would allow.

Takuro dropped the pipe on the carpet before encircling the hysterical woman in his arms. Hinagiku was completely frantic as she sobbed into Takuro's chest, muttering words so unintelligible that she herself probably had no idea what she was saying.

"Oh, Hinako!" He yelled.

He had never seen her as hysterical as she was now. She was always the strong one. And she never cried unless she was seriously hurt.

"Oh Hinako, it's alright." He whispered comfortingly in her ear. "Everything will be okay. Tell me what's wrong."

Hinagiku just shook her head and gently pushed herself from his embrace. He looked at her with a mixture of compassion, love and protectiveness that made it so she could not yell at him for scaring the living daylights out of her.

When he looked at her like that, she knew she could never stay angry at him. She was, however going to give him a piece of her mind when she'd completely calmed her nerves. For now, she had to compose herself.

Takuro was taken aback as she shoved passed him into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. There, she was finally in a place where she could let a few more tears fall.

Stupid Takuro. She told him not to come back. She told him she could handle herself until after his conference.

A part of her felt like she was being coddled and looked down on like a baby. Takuro was always the one who was fragile and looked to her for protection. She liked that about their relationship. It wasn't the stereotypical kind of relationship where the man was the masculine protector and the woman a defenseless maiden.

They had their own system of compatibility. This situation to her just seemed wrong.

'But there has never been a real threat to me before.' Her mind told her. Had this been a devil or robber or something on the loose, it would be different because she knew it wouldn't just be after her, it would be after everyone in its path. A psychopath was different. You had no idea what the mind set of one was, which was why they were so dangerous.

'He came because he knew this. He came because he loves the crap outta me.' Her mind continued.

That last thought was enough for her to get her emotions under control and compose herself enough to face her very confused husband.

Takuro looked up from his place on the bed as Hinagiku walked out of the bathroom. He had his head cradled in his hands as he sat on the edge of the bed, and Hinagiku couldn't help feeling guilty for her earlier outburst.

Without saying a word, she walked over to where he sat and gently pushed him so that he was laying on the bed. She then lifted his legs and maneuvered him so that his head was on the pillow and legs were off the floor. Takuro just let her do what she wanted, knowing that she would yell if he complained or questioned her actions.

He watched as she turned off the lights, walked back over and crawled into bed next to him. Takuro lay on his side as Hinagiku did the same so that they were facing one another. There was silence as they both stared at one another. It was comforting, yet both knew the other had something to say. Takuro was the first to speak.

"Hinako...what happened?" He asked nervously. "Did I do something wrong? Because if I did, I'm sorry."

"No, no Takuro. I was just scared, is all." She took his hand in hers. "See, after we got off the phone, I'd checked everything like you said and was going to sleep. I had no idea you were really coming back, so I thought that creep was actually here to get me."

Takuro scooted closer to her and withdrew his hand from hers so he could place it on her exposed cheek.

"I'm so sorry I scared you, Hinako. I was just so worried about you. After I saw the news report, I had already made the arrangements to come home."

He let out a small laugh as he spoke his next sentence.

"I knew you would kill me if I ditched my work to come back, so I figured I would sneak in while you slept. Since you're normally a pretty heavy sleeper, I thought it would work." He sighed as he thought of just how stupid his plan really was.

"Takuro." Hinagiku scooted even closer to him until their bodies were crushed against each other's.

Takuro moved his hand from her cheek to her hip while he moved his other arm to somewhat recline his head. Hinagiku too rested her hand on her husband's waist while the other played with the buttons on his shirt.

"Takuro, you dope," She started again. "I only sleep heavy when you're here next to me."

Takuro gasped as she said this. He never would have guessed that he made her feel safe.

"When you're away on business and stuff, I generally wake up at the drop of a dime." She blushed slightly. "Don't ask me why this happens, 'cause I couldn't tell you. I just don't relax completely unless I know you're here."

He gave her a smile that made her melt before leaning over and giving her a passionate kiss. Hinagiku let her eyes fall shut before returning his kiss with as much enthusiasm.

She was disappointed when Takuro left a few days ago. She'd seen him off at the door and all he did was give her a quick peck on the cheek. Now, she wasn't one to make out on the doorstep or anything, but she felt like he wanted to get saying goodbye to her over with so he could leave.

She didn't show it, but it kind of hurt her feelings. Takuro sensed that he did something wrong when he tried waving from the car window just to see the front door slamming behind her retreating form.

Takuro put even more passion into the kiss as he too reflected on that same memory. He wanted desperately for Hinagiku to know just how much he loved her. She let out a moan as his hands slid up and down her hip gently. Takuro was still new at the whole 'husband' thing, so he was still not experienced enough to know what some of her moans meant. For fear of hurting her, he moved to pull his hand away.

Hinagiku broke the kiss as his hand lost contact with her skin. Both were breathing heavily, faces tinted red with lust. Both continued staring at each other until their desires were under control.

"We should probably get some sleep, huh?"

She broke the silence as she moved to get under the sheets and comforter.

"Yeah. It's been a long night for you."

"Not just for me. You just drove three hours after working all day. You must be exhausted."

He laughed modestly as he took off his shirt, leaving him only in his white t-shirt and his work pants, minus the belt. He was too tired to change into actual sleep-wear, so he decided that his current attire would have to do until the morning.

As he got under the covers, he moved closer to Hinagiku and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close so that her back touched his chest. Hinagiku snuggled into him before asking if he planned on driving back in the morning.

"Nah. They can survive without me. Besides, Niji is still out there. I don't want to take any chances."

Hinagiku smiled before kissing him once more and drifting off to a nice, heavy sleep. Takuro looked down at her and whispered, "I love you, Hinagiku," then drifted off himself.


	3. Chapter 3

Hi everyone! I'm back. I have maybe the next chapter or two written already, but I don't want to post it all at once and then have nothing for you if I have writer's block or something (which is the case right now). Anyway, I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Read and Review and tell me what you think or any areas you think I should improve. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own Wedding Peach.

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Hinagiku woke to the sound of the water running in the bathroom.

'What the hell is that man doing at...' She glanced at the clock. '8 in the morning?' She thought.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, she sat up and stretched her arms over her head and let out a loud yawn. Takuro came out of the bathroom a moment later and walked over to his waking wife.

"Good morning, Hinako." He said as he kissed her chastely on the lips.

'This is a change.' She thought.

"Hey, what are you so happy about, anyway?"

He didn't answer, but merely took her hand and guided her to their bathroom. The bathroom was huge compared to most. It was an American/Japanese style mixture. On the left there was a shower, and immediately behind it was a Jacuzzi tub.

In the back was the Japanese tub filled to the brim with hot, scented water, and to the right of it was the washing station, already prepared. The sink and toilet were to the right of the bathroom, and the door leading out to the hallway was in between the Jacuzzi and the Japanese-style tub. Hinagiku was very impressed with his taste in décor the first time she stepped in there.

The whole house was very large and elegant. Takuro made sure to include the best of both their likes and tastes when speaking to the designer and architect. Needless to say, she was a happy woman.

Takuro stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders as he led her inside.

"I prepared a bath for the two of us." She looked around. "I know you showered last night, but I was so tired I decided that it would be better to wait until now."

"And then I thought, since neither of us are working, why don't I plan things for us to do today. Kind of like a date, except we won't be leaving the house."

Hinagiku kept quiet and looked at him, waiting for him to continue what he was saying. Takuro, thinking he messed up again, apologized instantly.

"Was I wrong? I'm sorry. It's just..." He sighed and paced a bit.

"I don't know. It feels like we don't spend any time together. We see each other every day, I know, but it's been a while since I've gotten to..._be_ with you, Hinako."

Hinagiku could have kissed him right then. How was it that whenever she felt insecure, he would make it better without even trying? She almost couldn't help herself from laughing at his apology.

"Takuro! What have I told you about saying sorry?" She said with a smile.

Takuro blushed before apologizing again, which earned him a stern look from his wife.

"Don't apologize for doing all of this. Actually, I was feeling a little neglected by you. I felt like, between us working and stuff, that we didn't spend a lot of time together."

She walked up to him and poked him in the chest with her finger. "We never talk anymore." She gave him a small smile. "And I miss that." He returned the smile and took her hand in his.

"So, I can't wait to see what you have planned for us to do today!"

Takuro's insecurities vanished as she then beckoned him to remove his clothes and get into the bath with her. Even though they'd been married for a little over four months now, he still felt embarrassed when he got undressed in front of her or when he saw her undressed. Hinagiku would always tease him because of his shyness, but she also thought it was kind of cute.

He tried his best to hide his flushed face as he watched her lift her shirt above her head and throw it on the floor next to her. Her full upper body was now exposed to him and, though he'd seen it countless times before, he couldn't help but examine and appreciate every curve. She made short work of her pants and underwear before going to the washroom and lathering up her towel.

"Takuro, stop watching me and come on!" She yelled, her back to him.

"Ah..co...c...coming." He stammered as he undressed and joined her.

After washing, both got into the water and let out a collective sigh. Takuro leaned against the wall and Hinagiku lay with him with her back against his chest.

The water steamed around them, creating a romantic atmosphere that Hinagiku was very grateful for. These were moments she would cherish. She and Takuro never had a moment's peace when Momoko and Yuri were around. Any time they would be remotely romantic, the teasing would commence.

That was one of the reasons why they were never into public displays of affection. It was like a reflex to disperse whenever people were around because of the trauma their friends put them through.

But now that they were alone together, Hinagiku was going to take full advantage of having him all to herself today. That meant she would try to drop her 'independent woman' attitude and let him take care of her.

Takuro sighed in contentment and ran his hands up and down her bare arms, enjoying the feel of her skin. What she did next both surprised and delighted him.

Hinagiku moved from her position and turned around to give him a hug and place butterfly kisses on his neck. Takuro's arms encircled her back and his legs gripped her thighs to keep her from falling before resting his head on her shoulder. He felt so light and happy whenever she was in his arms, especially when there weren't any clothes between them.

He didn't know why, but he felt that hugging her like this was an extremely intimate gesture that he would never trade. He loved every part of her and felt that this was one of the only ways he could show her. Hinagiku felt the same way he did. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that this simple hug held more sentimental value than any possession she owned.

She melted into the hug, almost drifting asleep because of how comfortable and safe she felt. Takuro moved his hand and began brushing her hair with his fingers, which elicited another moan from the woman in his arms. Takuro moved his head from her shoulder close to her ear.

"I love you so much, Hinako." He breathed. It was so full of love and lust that she couldn't help her breath hitching in her throat.

She turned her attention from his neck to his lips and gave him a long, soft kiss that told him all she felt.


	4. Chapter 4

Here's the next chapter! I haven't continued this story in a long time, so that's why the chapters aren't as frequent as they should be. The next chapter is already finished, but I have nothing after that. Hopefully I'll get some inspiration soon. Reviews help me a lot! So, if you like this please review and tell me! This is just a fluff chapter like the last one. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own it!

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After several minutes of being in there, both finally finished their bath and went back into the bedroom. Dressed in a towel, Hinagiku went through their closet and fished for something to wear. Since they wouldn't be leaving the house, she decided not to wear anything fancy. She finally decided on a pair of blue jeans and a white embroidered halter top.

Takuro, who'd picked out his outfit and dressed in less than thirty seconds, admired Hinagiku from his place in front of the open balcony doors.

She turned around and did a little twirl, silently asking if he approved. The look in his eyes told her all she needed to know, and she smiled before going back into the bathroom to blow-dry her hair.

While in the middle of her task, she called out to Takuro.

"So, Mr. Mysterious, what are we doing after I finish?"

"You'll just have to wait and see." He said playfully.

He heard her scoff at his answer and let out a laugh. He knew she hated surprises, but she would just have to wait for what he had in store for her.

Hinagiku returned to the room a few moments later looking—to him—utterly gorgeous. Then again, she looked wonderful to him no matter what she wore.

"Ok, I'm finished now. What are we doing?"

"Well, m'lady." He said suavely. "We are going to the kitchen to have breakfast."

He offered her his arm, which she took gratefully, and they walked downstairs. Once there, Takuro led Hinagiku in and pulled her chair out for her. She thanked him and he walked off to bring the food over to her.

He sat down a bowl of her favorite fruits, already peeled and cut, just the way she liked them. Next to that was a plate of bacon, pancakes, and scrambled eggs, which he'd kept warm in their respective pans. And last but not least was a large glass of milk and, next to it, a glass of water.

In the middle of the table was a vase containing the most beautiful daisies she'd ever seen. She looked up at Takuro as he sat next to her with his plate, which mirrored hers, minus the eggs.

"Wow, Takuro." She exclaimed as she put her napkin in her lap. "This looks delicious!"

"Yeah well, don't judge it by just looking at it." He said. "You know how my cooking is."

Hinagiku took a bite, expecting it to taste somewhat adequate and was surprised when it exceeded her expectations completely.

"Takuro, this is great!" She said as she sampled more of the food on her plate.

"Really?" He asked as he took his fork and tasted the pancakes. He too was very surprised.

"Yeah! See, I told you that you weren't that bad."

"Actually," He said sheepishly, "I called your mom this morning and had her coach me through this."

Hinagiku smiled before wondering just what time he got up that morning. Her question, however, was answered when he spoke.

"I woke up around 7. I don't know why; out of habit, I guess. Anyway, when I woke up, I thought it would be nice to make you breakfast in bed. So I called your mom and she made me write down all of her directions.

"Then, after I'd finished, I wanted to take a quick shower before you woke up, but then I figured that it would be a lot more romantic if you took a bath with me."

"Wow." That was the only word to describe what she felt. "You put a lot of thought into this."

She took a sip of water. The pancakes and bacon had been devoured while he was talking and she'd just finished the eggs. Takuro looked from the plate to her face and saw her flush in embarrassment.

"Hey! Don't make fun of me!" She said defensively. Takuro put his hands up in surrender before taking a few more bites out of his food.

"But seriously, Takuro." He looked up. "Thanks for all of this."

He shook his head. "It's nothing. I mean, you deserve it. Think of this as my apology for working so much."

Hinagiku stood and walked over to him.

"How many times do I have to say it?" She pulled his chair back and straddled his waist. A deep blush appeared on his face. "Stop saying sorry!"

"I'm sorry."

She stared at him before letting out an exasperated sigh. He was completely hopeless sometimes.

"And stop blushing! We've been in way more provocative positions before."

He looked down and apologized again, earning a growl from Hinagiku. Realizing what he's said, he rested his head on her chest in embarrassment before doing it again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay. I began this story long before I started posting it on this site, and because I work on it sporadically, I didn't want to just post everything I had and then have you guys waiting for months or maybe even a year for a new update, so I've been trying to pace myself and only update if I have more written down in the original file.**

**If you want more information on this or any of my other stories, please visit my profile page. I update it very frequently and it has ALL of my update information. Thanks again for reading. As always, feedback is always helpful.**

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"So, what are we doing now?" Hinagiku asked, plopping down on the couch and putting her feet on the coffee table.

"Actually, I wanted to look at the news for a few minutes."

Takuro came in from the kitchen and lifted Hinagiku's feet to grab the remote that was under her heels.

"Still worried about that guy, huh?"

He nodded his head and flipped through channels until he came to the one he wanted.

"_For those of you just tuning in, Niji Dash, the escaped convict is still on the loose and has made his presence known. Here's Kenji at the scene of Niji's recent escapade. Kenji?"_

On the screen appeared another reporter who was standing outside an apartment complex Takuro recognized. It was about a twenty minute walk from their house.

"_Thanks, Hiroshi. Last night, around ten o'clock, Niji walked into this apartment building and began harassing residents."_

Pictures of the hallway flashed on the screen and Takuro couldn't help the feeling of dread welling within him.

"_As you can see, all of the doors to every apartment have been tampered with, and some actually forced open. In every apartment he has entered there has been something stolen and at least fifteen women were assaulted. His method of entry is still the same. He cut the power wires around the area and caught the unsuspecting women off guard. Most were asleep when the attack happened—"_

"Hinagiku!" Takuro yelled. Having switched the power off, she gave the television a nasty look as she threw the remote down next to her.

"Stop listening to that like it's automatically going to happen to us! We have all kinds of protection against this dude. If he comes, we'll be ready for him!"

"I know. I'm sorry, Hinako. I just can't help but be concerned."

He put his head down, letting his negative thoughts take over. Hinagiku would have none of this, however. She moved closer to him and put her arm around his shoulder. With her face close to his, she forced him to look up at her. She gave him a reassuring smile and a wink before kissing his cheek and letting her head rest on his shoulder.

"So, what else are we gonna do today?" She asked, lightening the mood considerably.

"Oh!" Was his reaction, like he'd just remembered he'd promised her a romantic day. "Well, I honestly didn't know what else to do after the bath and breakfast."

A sweat drop appeared on Hinagiku's head as she stared at her husband. After the perfect things they did earlier, had he seriously run out of ideas that fast?

"Haha. I was hoping watching the news would buy me some time to come up with something else. I'm sorry."

"Argh, I am going to smack you the next time you apologize!" The look she gave Takuro instantly stopped the words from forming on his lips.

"And anyway, after that great bath and the killer breakfast I just had, I'm actually kinda tired."

"Oh, I know!" His enthusiasm caused Hinagiku to smile. "Since you're tired, why don't I go upstairs and get a blanket and we'll lie on the couch and watch a movie?"

"That sounds kinda perfect right now, actually."

He beamed. "And I'll even light the fire place. It'll give the room some...atmosphere."

With that, he was off like a shot, all but running upstairs to get the items he needed. Hinagiku followed at a slower pace. If she was going to enjoy a movie with her husband, she wanted to be more comfortable; meaning she really needed to change out of her jeans.

She entered the room and decided on a pair of light blue sweatpants while Takuro grabbed the blanket from the closet and exited the room. He came back a few minutes later holding three movies in his hands.

"I thought we could choose from these." He said, blushing. Hinagiku wondered why until she read the title names aloud. They were all romance movies.

Hinagiku scanned the titles quickly; _Titanic_, _Wedding Crashers_, and _The Notebook. _These were some of the only America titles they had in their home. The only others being action films or Americanized Japanese knew that they didn't have the same taste in movies, him being a sci-fi fan and she being into horror and action. Romance seemed like the only medium they had.

"Hmmm, well," She thought aloud. "I've seen _Titanic_ a million times, and _The Notebook_ is too sad. I haven't seen _Wedding Crashers_, though."

She took the back of the box and scanned it as he said, "It's got comedy in it."

Hinagiku looked up. "Do you want to watch this?"

"Actually, I'm very interested to see how _this_ plot is going to turn out. From what I'm reading, these guys don't know anything about women."

"Well, I guess we're watching this one then."

He smiled and nodded for her to go back downstairs while he took care of something. She obeyed and made her way back to the living room. When she was out of his sight, Takuro went to his study and turned on the tv. The news was still on, and there were still more developments in the Niji Dash escape. From what he was hearing, Niji had traveled a few more miles south of them. It was a relief to know that the police had his general area and that Niji had traveled even further from him and Hinagiku, but it was still disconcerting knowing that he was still out there.

He turned off the tv with a heavy heart and turned to his laptop and booted it up so he could check his emails. While waiting for the welcome screen, he put his phone on speaker to check his messages.

After completing those tasks, he gathered the blanket and left the room. Downstairs, he saw that a small fire was already blazing in the hearth, and that Hinagiku had brought down some extra pillows from their room. Takuro placed the fluffy blue blanket on the couch and laid down, his back resting against the arm of the couch. Hinagiku followed his lead and lay next to him, her shoulder to his chest. After covering her with the blanket, he started the movie and let his mind ease itself.

…..

….

…..

_Wedding Crashers_ was the best choice they could have ever made. It kept Hinagiku entertained and Takuro intrigued. By the time the credits started rolling, both were in a heated argument about the questionable motives of the protagonists throughout the movie.

"They did what they did because they are really sleaze balls at heart. What did you expect?"

"You know that's not true, Hinako. If that was the case then those girls wouldn't have even been part of the movie." Takuro replied in a huff. They'd been at it since the movie ended about 5 minutes before, and both showed no signs of backing down.

"Well, you can think what you want, but people who have acted a certain way all of their lives don't just conform after a few short months after meeting 'the one'.

"And why not, Hinako?" He questioned. "It is utterly possible to be so moved by a person that you want to change for them."

"Exactly my point." She countered. "They didn't really change! At the end they were going to go do the same thing that got them in so much trouble in the first place."

He gave her an exasperated look before admitting "defeat" and letting her have her way. As he moved to put the DVD back in its case, Hinagiku stretched out on the couch and covered herself with the blanket. She sighed sleepily and felt herself dozing off before feeling Takuro join her. He gently moved her over before covering himself and re-covering her with the fluffy comforter. As his head hit the big feathery pillows, Hinagiku snuggled up closer and finally fell asleep.

Looking at his watch, Takuro saw that it was around 11:15 am. His head began conjuring up all kinds of ideas for their lunch. Maybe he would call her mom and get the recipe to her favorite dish, or maybe he would consult one of the cook books they kept in the kitchen and surprise her with something from there.

Or maybe they would sleep through lunch and figure out what to do together. That sounded like a better idea to him. Though he loved doing things for her, he felt that this "date" wouldn't be right unless she made some of the decisions too.

As he too began to dose off, he determined in his mind that it didn't matter what they did next, because it would be great no matter what. He would make sure of that.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: The Veil of the Maiden's Shyness

Pairing: Takuro/Hinagiku

Disclaimer: I do not own Wedding Peach and am making no money from this.

Author's Note: Hi guys! I started working on this again, and decided to post this chapter a little early. Thanks so much for those who still read this despite my very infrequent updates. I can't make any promises, but hopefully the next chapter won't take very long to write up and post. Let me know what you think.

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When Hinagiku opened her eyes, she jumped in shock. It was pitch black outside. The fire that once blazed with life was now a distant memory in the fireplace, and Takuro was nowhere to be seen.

Hinagiku had to calm her frantic brain enough to think rationally.

'Ok. He's around here somewhere. There is no way he would even think of leaving me when Niji Dash is still out there. He's probably in the bathroom or something.' After she was sure that explanation was plausible, she visibly relaxed her rigid body and looked around. Judging by her surroundings, it looked like early evening, and a look at the clock confirmed it.

"It's six already? Wow, we both must have been really tired." She wondered aloud as she stretched. Until Takuro came back downstairs, she figured she would see if they caught Dash yet.

'It's been all day. They have to have gotten to him by now.' She grabbed the remote off the table and turned it onto the closest news station.

"_And Sakura will be right back with the conclusion to that heart-felt story. In other news, the escaped convict, Niji Dash, has been pursued all the way to the Bakuro district. Those living in or near this area should be extremely cautious. That means locking all doors and windows, walking in groups of two or three—if you must walk at all—among other precautions. Earlier this morning, a 72 year old man was attacked while attempting to protect his neighbor, who happens to be in her late twenties. The man is in critical care at the moment, though doctors are assuring that he will reach a full recovery. More on this story after the break."_

"What is with you people and breaks?" Hinagiku was beyond upset. The Bakuro district was one of the closest districts to her, meaning he was already pretty much in her backyard.

'Perfect.' She thought as she gathered the pillows and blankets and climbed the stairs. She didn't feel particularly safe being downstairs with the front door and the patio doors all within such a close proximity. Making it upstairs, she dropped the items in a spare room and walked into the bathroom to find it empty. Earlier panic beginning to rise, she searched the bedroom before finally going into his study. Her heart rate slowed considerably when she saw him typing furiously on his computer.

"Takuro, how long have you been up here? Why'd you let me sleep for so long?"

"You were sleeping so peacefully that it seemed cruel to wake you." Takuro never looked up from the screen. "I've been up for about an hour or so. One of my colleagues got in touch with me and I'd been in a video conference with him for about an hour and now I'm just finishing up some work on my recent findings that I hope to submit for publication."

Though all of that went over Hinagiku's head completely, she got the general gist of what he was saying.

'He's got so much work to do, and instead of being away actually doing it, he's at home with me and working extra hard to make up for it.' She thought, looking over his shoulder at the complex scientific language on the screen.

"Takuro, I—" She started, but before she could even form the syllables, he let out a sigh of joy and shut the computer down.

"Finished!" He turned, smiling at her and standing. She couldn't help but smile back, and the smile widened when he stood and wrapped his arms around her.

"So I guess it's time for me to tell you that the only ideas I have left for our romantic day are playing games and me making you dinner tonight."

Hinagiku moved her head from his shoulder so she could look at him, the goofy smile still on her face. He'd done so much to make her happy today that she knew she would be content no matter what they did.

"I don't care what we do, Takuro. I would honestly be okay if we spent the rest of the night watching tv on the couch. As long as we're spending time with each other, that's all that matters."

"Good." He kissed her forehead. "Because that's what today is all about."

"Well, that and keeping ourselves safe from that psycho."

Takuro's face tensed at the reminder. The one thing he didn't get to check for the few hours that Hinagiku slept was the news. Hinagiku seemed to read his mind.

"I just checked the news. They said he's in the Bakuro district, but don't know which direction he's traveling."

"Doesn't really matter what direction he's traveling." His face hardened more. "If he's in that district then he's basically in ours."

Though Hinagiku had the same thoughts, it was no use for both of them to dwell on it. As long as they stayed inside and kept busy, she hoped that enough time would pass that would ensure Dash's capture and return to prison.

"Hey, why don't we play a game?" She said, trying to lighten the mood. "We haven't done that in a while, and it would be something to entertain us during dinner. What do you think?"

Takuro nodded in agreement, happy that they could do something else they both enjoyed together.

Hinagiku, who was still in Takuro's arms, stepped out of the embrace and walked across the hall to their bedroom. Takuro followed and sat on the bed as she made her way across the room to the closet. Aside from all of their clothes, shoes and various other accessories, there were tons of games that occupied a small corner of the enclosed area. Though they rarely played games, they had at least 15 stock piled high on top of one another. Some were overly sexualized gag gifts from Yuri and Momoko, while others were gifts bestowed on them from distant relatives for Christmases and birthdays.

Takuro insisted they keep them, and Hinagiku was glad he had. As crazy as they were going from fear at the moment, at least they had plenty of game choices to keep them occupied.

Hinagiku pulled out 3 boxes first. "Alright, we have 'Clue', 'Sorry'…ummm, 'Scrabble'…" She pulled out a few more while shoving the gag games a little too forcefully in the back with a grimace. She could still hear Yuri and Momko's annoying laughs as she unwrapped her bridal shower gifts to see those.

Takuro looked on in amusement, knowing exactly what games Hinagiku was so angrily shoving in the corner.

"Oh, come on Hinako. You know those are slightly amusing."

Hinagiku poked her head out of the closet with a huff.

"I don't see what's so funny about—"

Hinagiku's voice abruptly stopped and both of their smiles were replaced by fear and borderline panic.

The lights, heat and anything else that required electricity had suddenly cut off, leaving the house in total darkness and silence, with the only sounds heard from either Hinagiku or Takuro being the sounds of their rapidly increasing heartbeats pounding in their ears.


	7. Chapter 7

Hinagiku gently laid the games in her hands down on the carpet before tip-toeing quickly to Takuro's side. Once she reached the bed, Takuro grabbed her arm.

"Ok, let's calm down and not panic." Hinagiku whispered softly, adding as much strength to her voice as she could. She could feel Takuro shaking next to her and tried not to let her fear overcome her.

"We need to call the police, Hinako." He stood, bringing her up with him. "My cell phone is in my study."

"We should bring something to protect ourselves." She whispered, and he nodded in agreement. Both their thoughts immediately went to the pipe Takuro found under the sink the night before. If he remembered correctly, the pipe was behind the bathroom door nearest their room.

"Stay here, Hinako." He told her as he started motioning towards the bathroom. "I'm going to grab the pipe from the bathroom and look around up here and downstairs."

"We can split up. I'll look up here and meet you downstairs."

He nodded, before whispering, "My cell is on my desk. Please be careful, Hinako. If you hear or see anything up here, I want you to run somewhere safe as fast as you can."

"Scared or not, I'm not leaving this house without you, Takuro. And I'm also not going to let this loser get away with what he's been doing. When I get finished with him, he won't even know what hit him." She whispered back, eliciting a frustrated, yet extremely quiet sigh from her husband.

He wanted to argue further, but decided that getting something to protect themselves was far more important than fighting a losing battle with her. With a stern look, he ran his hand down her cheek before disappearing in the direction of the bathroom to get the weapon and search the house.

Hinagiku wasted no time and, as quietly as possible, walked to the main bedroom door leading out into the hallway and slowly turned the knob. Takuro's study was directly across the hall, so it would take her less than 5 seconds to sprint over to it. Taking a breathing deeply and counting to three under her breath, she made the dash into the adjacent room, closing and locking the door behind her. As she attempted to relax, her breathing quickened as a thought occurred to her. She mentally kicked herself, and tried her best to stay calm. The door to the study had been wide open when she ran in, and in her haste to leave the bedroom, she didn't think to check the hallway. For all she knew, Niji could be right next to her, right where he wanted her. And with Takuro all the way downstairs…

Hinagiku shook the negative thoughts out of her head.

_You are a love angel. You are a love angel. You've defeated countless demons in the past. This is just another one. He wants you to be afraid and lose your cool. Calm down…_

After spending some time reassuring herself, she squared her shoulders and surveyed the room. Looking toward Takuro's desk, she could see his cell phone sitting near a stack of papers. Luckily, Takuro didn't like clutter. The only places anyone could hide and not be seen would be under his desk, beside a bookcase that was against one of the far walls, or behind the curtains that covered the tall windows behind his desk.

Her back to the door, she turned her head to her left to the space near the bookcase. A sliver of light from the night sky shone through the window, allowing her eyes to adjust to the dark easier than if there wasn't any. This small advantage allowed her to see that the corner was empty. Letting out a small breath of relief, she continued walking with her back against the walls of the room. Reaching the bookcase, she walked with her back against it, toward where the tall windows were. The curtains were only partially closed, and she knew from her and Takuro's inspection that the windows were locked. As she got closer to the windows, she paused. If anyone was behind the curtains, there would be some indication of it. She strained her ears, yearning yet dreading to hear any noise or see any movement come from that direction. Only after listening for a few seconds did she deem it safe, and placed her back to the window as well.

Her heart was pounding a mile a minute as she got closer and closer to the last and final hiding place in the room. Leaning her head slowly to look in the small space, a smile broke out on her face when she saw that there was no one there. Immediately turning to the window behind her, her relief multiplied at seeing that the window locks had not been tampered with.

Feeling as though she wasted enough time, she quickly grabbed the phone off the desk and ran back to the door, once again facing her back to the wall. All she had to do was dial the police, and then she would phone one of their neighbors to let them know what was going on.

Pushing the "on" button, she waited for the phone to give off the trademark signs of booting up, but it never did. After several seconds of trying again, she began getting frustrated.

_Why isn't this stupid phone working? He was charging it when he was finishing his work. There's no way the battery can be dead._

Deciding that it was a mechanical problem, she opened the back of the device. As soon as she did, her blood ran cold with fear, and any relief and safety she felt was immediately striped away.

She had to get to Takuro and they needed to get out. Niji Dash was in the house, and had been for longer than they thought. Not only did he have enough time to cut the power, but he also had enough time to come upstairs and remove the battery from his phone without either of them hearing him. If he did that, what else had he done? And where was he?

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**I am so sorry for not updating for an entire year. It was not my intention to leave this story unattended for so long. Luckily, there will only be 2-3 chapters left before this story is officially finished. I also apologize for this chapter being so short. It was either split what I had written into two chapters, or post one big chapter and have no set time of when I would update again. I chose to split them because it will give me more motivation to finish it in a timely fashion. For those still reading, thank you. I'm not just writing this for me, but for the entire Wedding Peach fandom. We really need more stories! **

**As always, any update information for all of my stories can be found on my profile page, which I try to update as much as I can.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** Yay for finally getting this next chapter out! Only a few chapters left before this is complete :) As always, any story update information can be found on my profile page. For those who are new readers and those who are still reading after all this time, thank you! I began writing this because I wanted to contribute something to this fandom. Leave me some feedback if you have time!

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Hinagiku had to think. She was alone, with no weapon in her possession. With all of the love angel pep talk she had been giving herself, she failed to realize that her watch was on her bedside table across the hall, having been left there after her bath that morning. And with the knowledge that Niji could potentially be _anywhere_ in the house, it wasn't worth the risk going back into the bedroom where he could be waiting to strike.

Opening the office door a crack, Hinagiku strained her eyes to see as much as she could of the darkened hallway. Her bedroom door was still opened from when she left it to come into the office, and luckily a sliver of light from the window illuminated a small portion of the hallway. Opening the door little by little until she could fit through, she stepped out into the hall and quickly turned so her back was against the closet at end of the hall.

Her eyes never straying, she stared attentively in front of her while she used one hand to open the small linen closet behind her. She needed a weapon, and though it wouldn't be much of one, she knew she would be able to find something. Making as little noise as possible, she got the door open, and immediately bent down, her arm still behind her back. Her hand glided around slowly as she groped around trying to find anything she could use to defend herself.

All while her eyes were trained in front of her, her ears were also on alert, struggling to hear any sound coming from around her or downstairs. At this point, she wasn't sure whether silence was a blessing or a curse.

After a few more seconds of searching, she felt her hand rest on something cold and bulky, and immediately wrapped her fingers around it and pulled it out. To her surprise, she realized it was one of her exercise weights. Though she wasn't positive how many pounds it was, she was sure that she could do some damage with it.

She pulled her hand out of the closet and cautiously walked forward, her back once again against the wall closest to Takuro's study. Her eyes now wandered in every which direction as she moved, wanting to make sure nothing could possibly sneak up on her. Making it past her bedroom and bathroom, she tiptoed down the stairs quickly, knowing that was the best way for her to make the least amount of noise, given the creaks in the floorboards. Once she descended the stairs, she moved directly in front of the front door.

Briefly facing the stairs and living room, she moved her hand behind her to unlock the front door. If anything happened, she and Takuro needed a quick getaway. And if what she suspected was true, and that Niji was already in the house with them, it didn't matter if the door was locked or not.

Seeing a shadow to her right, she instantly crouched. The shadow moved slowly, looking as if it were searching for something. As the shadow became clearer, she could see the silhouette of a person backing into the living room with a pipe in their hands.

Hinagiku's heart rate slowed drastically when she saw that, and slowly stood from her crouching position, but stayed hunched over slightly. Despite being somewhat relieved, they were not safe yet, and it would be stupid to get so comfortable that she let her guard down.

Tiptoeing slowly, she moved into the living room and knelt in a corner between one of the couches and the coffee table. Since he was moving backwards, she would wait for him to get closer before whispering to him that they needed to leave. Setting her exercise weight down to free her hands, she continued looking around. He was almost there, and she wanted to make sure they didn't have any surprises before they could reach the door.

Just as he was about a foot away from her, a faint sound from the kitchen was heard, causing their heads to snap in that direction. Though the sound was small, it sounded loud in the deafening silence of the house.

Raising the pipe in defense, Hinagiku saw that he was about to follow the noise, and whispered his name to stop him. When he didn't hear her the first time, she whispered louder, but he still didn't respond. He kept walking until she could no longer see him, and for several agonizing seconds, Hinagiku wasn't sure what to do. She was torn between following him and staying where she was, but nerves overtook her once more when she saw a figure racing toward her.

Standing up with the weight in hand, she moved to strike, raising the weight high above her head in order to hit him with enough force that he would be immobilized. The man stopped, and a gasp escaped his lips before he said something that almost caused Hinagiku to drop her weapon.

"Hinako! Stop!" The man whispered violently, using his arms to cover his face from the blow he was about to be dealt.

HInagiku strained her eyes to see the man, causing them to burn from pain. Nothing was making any sense. She didn't know what was going on.

The man on the ground uncovered his face and abruptly stood, immediately rushing toward Hinagiku. Moving faster than she could react, he covered her mouth with his hand and forced them both to the ground. By this time, Hinagiku could clearly see who she was with, and that caused a chill to run up her spine.

It was Takuro. Takuro was with her right now.

He was the one who made the noise in the kitchen. But that meant that the man she saw in the living room, the man she called out to, was really Niji.

Takuro uncovered her mouth after a few seconds, and she took in as much air as her lungs could take, scanning the room as Takuro was doing. Looking around, they didn't see or hear anything. Taking advantage, Takuro looked at her and bent his head toward her ear.

"Front door." He whispered in the lowest voice he could muster before pulling himself up into a crouch. Hinagiku did not need any more coaxing as she crouched next to him and moved quickly toward the door, her mind still reeling from the fear she'd just experienced.

If Niji had actually stopped and stayed in the room with her, she had no idea what could have happened. Just thinking of what might have happened made her wish more than anything that she had her watch with her. It gave her that added sense of security that she could defend herself. However, it was still upstairs and she and Takuro were almost at the door. Thinking of it would do no good right now. She needed to concentrate on getting out of the house and making sure that guy was captured.

Takuro reached the door first, and Hinagiku could see from the faint glow of the streetlight that his hand was shaking as it reached for the door knob. Hinagiku turned away and decided to look behind them toward the living room. She looked around them and held her breath, trying to think of what to do after they got out the door. The first thought that came to her mind was running to their neighbor's house and calling the police, but she immediately trashed the idea. By the time they did that, Niji would be gone, free to continue terrorizing innocent women until he was eventually caught. No matter how afraid she was, Hinagiku would not let that happen.

Takuro was slowly turning the door knob now, and Hinagiku prepared herself to turn and run out when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. A loud _whoosh_ reached her ears then, and she barely had time to grab Takuro before the sound of a collision was heard above them.


End file.
